On the way back, Chu Shangluo had one arm draped over Ren Jiaoming’s shoulder while keeping their fingers intertwined with his other hand.

Staring out at the sea, he murmured, “This place is amazing. The Yu family is so filthy rich it’s infuriating. I wish I could have an island like this too—imagine relocating the whole family here. How nice would that be? Sigh… The old town area is being redeveloped into a commercial district, and there’s still nowhere for them to settle.”

Ren Jiaoming steadied him. “Then buy one yourself.”

Chu Shangluo shook his head. “No money. Even if I had the money, I wouldn’t have the connections. And even if I did, it wouldn’t be in Beijing. I can’t just send my relatives to live out of town.”

He sighed softly, mumbling, “Such a pain… Damn it, the Yu family makes me so jealous!”

Chu Shangluo kept muttering all the way back, clearly very drunk. Ren Jiaoming had seen him intoxicated before but never this talkative.

When they arrived, Ren Jiaoming helped him out of his jacket and tucked him under the blanket. Yet Chu Shangluo continued to ramble, “I prepared a gift for you… You’ll find out tomorrow when we get back.”

“Mm.”

Ren Jiaoming glanced down at Chu Shangluo’s flushed face, his expression hazy from the alcohol. He tried to pull his hand free from their intertwined fingers, but instead, Chu Shangluo gripped his hand even tighter.

Ren Jiaoming’s normally cold hands were now burning hot from the contact.

After his hangover, Chu Shangluo still woke up early as usual.

Looking out at the peaceful island, he got dressed and went outside. Sitting by the shore, he watched the sun slowly rise. They would be leaving that afternoon, and this was his last moment of leisure here.

A few fishermen were out catching fish at this hour. One of them, a young man who looked barely of age, skillfully speared a fish with his fork while his two friends cheered him on.

Noticing Chu Shangluo, the young fisherman ran over, holding a basket of fresh seafood. “Hey, Ge! Want to buy some? Super fresh—lobsters, abalone, all better quality and cheaper than what you’d find in the markets.”

Chu Shangluo glanced into the basket. The seafood was indeed fresh and large. “How much?”

“Five hundred for the whole basket. Not expensive, really.”

Chu Shangluo replied, “Too expensive. Three hundred at most. The only valuable thing here is that bread crab, but it looks a bit weak.”

The boy froze for a moment, realizing this was no ordinary tourist. “But I got up so early for this—I have to make some profit.”

“I’m not saying you can’t. Go ask around.”

The boy stayed silent. Usually, wealthy guests visited the island around this time and were happy to buy freshly caught seafood. However, the island had been restricted recently for a big-shot’s birthday celebration. He had snuck onto the island, hoping to make a sale, but now realized Chu Shnagluo wasn’t an easy mark.

Reluctantly, he nodded. “Fine, three hundred then. Will you buy it?”

Chu Shangluo shook his head. “No. Do you know the biggest seafood market in Beijing? On Baima Street?”

The boy nodded. “Yeah, I sell seafood there sometimes.”

Chu smiled. “I own it. Do you think I lack seafood?”

The boy was shocked. “No way… Are you really Chu Shangluo?”

“Do I not look like him?”

The boy studied him seriously. “Not really. They say you’re scary, but you’re actually really good-looking.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

The boy shrugged. “Well, you’re not buying, so whatever.” He turned to leave.

Chu Shangluo was about to brush it off when he noticed a distinctive birthmark on the boy’s shoulder blade—the same shape as the jade pendant Ren Jiaoming always wore.

By the time Chu Shangluo snapped out of his thoughts, the boy had already rowed his boat far out to sea. He called out, but the boy didn’t hear him.

On the way back, Chu Shangluo couldn’t stop thinking about the young fisherman. He even had someone privately investigate the boy, but no leads turned up.

After returning to the office, work piled up from the three days away. On top of that, he was busy preparing a gift for Ren Jiaoming. Eventually, the memory of the boy faded to the back of his mind.

A week passed like this—working all day and sharing a bed with Ren Jiaoming at night, but they hadn’t been intimate at all. How could their relationship stay passionate without closeness? Though Chu Shangluo wasn’t overly concerned about the physical aspect, he still enjoyed kissing and cuddling.

So, he decided—tonight had to be romantic.

That night by the sea, even in his drunken state, Chu Shangluo hadn’t been lying. He truly had a gift for Ren Jiaoming, and he was serious about quitting smoking too.

He had never been in love before, unlike Gu Yao, who was skilled in romantic games. Chu Shangluo didn’t know if his way of giving so much was right or wrong, but it definitely didn’t feel wrong.

Besides, his desire to treat Ren Jiaoming well was completely uncontrollable.

Chu Shangluo was sincere in everything he did—whether in love or hate. And he liked Ren Jiaoming. If he could warm his heart, no amount of effort would be too much.

Chu Shangluo had been preparing this gift for quite some time. During the day, he was busy with work, often having to dodge Ren Jiaoming’s occasional inspections. Finally, today was the day he could reveal it to him.

Driving mysteriously, Chu Shangluo took Ren Jiaoming to a particular location. With a smile, he said, “You’ve worked hard lately, so I wanted to give you a gift.”

Ren Jiaoming looked out the window as Chu Shangluo had already opened the car door and gently pulled him out.

In front of them was an elegantly decorated, unmarked storefront.

Chu Shangluo grinned. “It’s for you. Guess what this place is?”

Ren Jiaoming glanced at the storefront and, without hesitation, replied, “President Chu, I appreciate the thought, but I can’t accept this gift.”

Still holding Ren Jiaoming’s hand, Chu Shangluo led him inside. “Don’t be so quick to refuse. Go in and see if you like it first before deciding!”

As they stepped through the door, Ren Jiaoming paused, slightly stunned.

The interior was clean and bright, with punching bags and wooden stakes hanging around the walls. At the center of the space was a square, regulation boxing ring.

It was a brand-new boxing gym.